The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-03
flee under President Arthur.

Office under President Arthur. And
more difficult place nc native Carohnian
was ever called On to ill. AT first the Dis
tllca Attorneys social ostraciSm was COM
picte, and his old friends in the service of
the gray flatly refused to cormtenance him
or to receive him socially. But Melton went
on like a star, Unlhasting and unresting, per-
formed bis duty and succeeded, as Burke
says, IN making power gentle and obedi-
ence liberal, and soon won the respect and
even The affection OF those who were loudest
In denouncing the South Carolina gentle
man for accepting office under the Federal
administration.
LUCK AT CARDS.
Dir. Melton's elegant honle is a rose-em-
powered cottage at Columbia, where he has
perhaps the finest law library in the State.
Like the typical Southerner, he is not averse
TO quiet game of cards, and being player
OF extraordinary nerve, many interesting
stories are told of his marvellous luck in
scoopiug III 'jack-pots" or successfully call
ing the turn. One summer, after long and
arduous winter in trying government cases
IN charleston, and being prey to infaui-
matory rheumatism, Melton went to New
York to try change of air 'sro play faro
successfully he says, the player must
neither drink nor smoke" He was stopping
at the Gilsey House and "honors were easy, y
with comfortable bank account, and being
too sick to read and disinclned to talk, he
hied himself to John Morrissey's game, near
the Hoffman House, and asked the dealer if
there was any limit to the play that day
Not for you" replied the dealer. Melton
placed 800 bill on the ace 1t turned up,
and his pile of blue chips increased to 500.
The dealer looked nervously at the South
Carollnlan, but he made no sign. In two
turns the ace showed again and away from
the "boxn
Melton's pile increased to $500 Still the
nervy lawyer chewed his tookpick and said
nothing. The green baize showed six cards
and two aces in the box. Next turn dis
closed the inevitable ace on Melton's side of
the silver box, and his pot" increased to
$500 Then the counsellor's face was as I'M
moved as that of = sphinx. A call turn now
engaged the nervous dealers attention, but
Melton sat back cool as an iceberg and said
nothing. The turn came-a three and one
ace The plucky lawyers pile increased on
the ace to 1900.
Il am not feeling WE'LL" said the amateur
sportsman, land / reckon I've had enough
fun for the day. Dealer l reckon I'll cash
in my chipsw
Old gamblers sitting around the board
SAID that in quarter of a century they had
never seen more nerve or luck in a single
IDEAL"
A WONDERFUL STREAK OF LUCK.
Melton tells, with great gusto, of a still
more wonderful streak of luck be had in
Charleston with Grady, the father of the
now celebrated editor, then bitter foe of
Wade Hampton. Grady was strong man,
intellectually and physically, as Editor
Grady is, and with a brilliant companion the
three bon uirdntS undertook to have a day
Af or.1 laI L..
Hotel after a hountiful breakfast of straw
berries in March, pompano, the most deli
cious of Southern fish, good coffee and Vir-
ginia "pone."
This was day when the trio meant, like
Pixies historical fine old Arkansas gentle
man, ''unless some id contingency inter
vened," to ''bust faro bank
Melton's party, the trio of amateur play
ers, had $1,000 between them, which was
divided up, as all Gaul was, into
three parts. They were intent on big game
They found. The war was Just over and
two Northern gamblers Opened" in Charles
and painted thirteen keerds" that have
made as much havoc in hundred years as
an army with banners bent on red ruin to
smiling villages and fertile plains.
The party of the third part was soon
snuffed out and his capital of 1888 twined
with the woodbine. Grady had wonderful
luck. At one time he called the turn for
5000 and picked up 81 900. 1t is a misfor-
tune of faro that one deal may capture a
fortune for the man behind the table. But
Grady's "stacks" grew till he had S. 900 be-
fore him in Chips" He bet 81 900 on the
king with a copper. He lost. Luck turned
The balance of the deal he didn't win bet
But at the end of the "call" he cashed in
81 800 worth of ivory. He rose to go. In
vain did Melton persuade him to stay by
and see him "bust the bank"
Grady, with his rare good sense, had
enough and while Melton was absorbed in
the new deal, he quietly slipped to the depot
and struck for Columbia the State capital)
with his 1888 increased to the snug sum of
81 500. Melton played till dark, sometimes
having 5000 before him, and once by two
fatal strokes of fortune with his capital re-
duced to $780, But luck turned in lucky
"calr' for $500 in which he picked up 81, 500
for his stake of $500. His theory was to
play heavily on the banks money, and he
pressed his luck till the boss gambler had
no more chips on the board, and grew white
around the mouth as he reached into his in
side vest pocket for q $1,000 bill to
pay Melton's winnings. At the end of that
deal, Mr.. Banker said slyly: General, the
jig's up, the banks busted; let's liquor"
The lawyer rose slowly, ordered q couple
Of bottles of champagne, strengthening him
self, for he had not left his chair for five
hours, and when his chips were all in he
folded down in a capacious pocketbook
$40, 200 and the bank was broken.
The news soon went by grapevine tele-
graph that Melton and Grady had broken
B. Is bank. The gamblers thirsted for re-
venge Melton treated all the boys at the
Charleston till midnight, and then it was
whispered that B. had opened his bank
again Grady was safe at the State capital,
and Melton's friends full of symposium
juice and with the fire of thoroughbred,
said: ''Old boy, let's go to the jungle again
and strike the tiger in his den." They went,
they saw, they didn't conquer And at
early dawn the tall, splendid form of Tom
Melton could have been seen at the desk of
the hotel clerk, saying: "Mr. Cl-l-erk,
g-give me $50 on Mummy ch-check; /
r-r-reckon I'll ego h-home."
The grave but high-spirited counselor
rarely speaks of his bad luck, but in one
hour he was $40, 200 'out"